Loose Ends
by mollymarine
Summary: This is the sequel to the story The Kidnapping of Jules Callaghan-Braddock. As both Sam and Jules try to cope with the aftermath of her kidnapping and prepare for the birth of their first child, they are taken back along with Team One as they slowly discover a lot of loose end remain as a killer seeks revenge upon Sam and Ed.
1. Chapter 1

Authors: This is the sequel to The Kidnapping of Jules Callaghan Braddock. You may want to read that first as this story takes place two weeks after where I let that story end. Hopefully you enjoy. This plot should only be 5 to 7 Chapters at the most.

Disclaimer: The show flashpoint and its characters were created by Mark Ellis and Stephanie Morgenstern and belong to them and its respective networks. I am making no money of this story and it is for entertainment purposes only. However, this particular story is my creation and should not be used without my express written permission

CHAPTER 1

It was a good thing me and Jules decided to rent her house instead of sell, like the General had insisted we do when we got married and decided to gift us with a brand new house after we announced we were expecting during our wedding.

After the fiasco with Cindy Larson two weeks ago I didn't want Jules returning this afternoon from the hospital to a house some crazy person practically replicated and attempted to kidnap her to steal our unborn baby girl in. Luckily for us, Spike was an understanding renter and allowed me to kick him out and even helped me move us back in with the help of the guys and gals of the SRU.

Aside from that, although on the surface Jules seems to be doing well I'm still very worried about her. I know my wife and my best friend and I know it sometimes takes her awhile to get everything out before she is ready to share it. But I've watched her every night as I lay in a cot next to her hospital bed; the nightmares haven't stopped like I hoped they would. Quite frankly a part of me feels like they have gotten worse, although I'm not sure what they are really about.

I try to ask her when she wakes up screaming from her hospital bed and embrace her in an attempt to comfort her, but all she does is weep in my arms and tells me it was just a bad dream. Of course I've pushed insisting she opens up to me but probably not enough in fear of causing her and our unborn child undo stress.

But today she comes home, or that is my "girls" finally come home. The best part is although Jules still needs to remain on full bed rest for the remainder of her pregnancy, today we are officially seven months and in our third trimester. We continue to cross our fingers she will carry to full term, but at least Dr. Elaine Jacobs has reassured me several times now that even if she does go into premature labor our baby is at least at a good weight and fully developed now there is not much to worry about. Easy for her to say….

So here I am waiting for the guys to arrive to help me move the last bit of baby furniture in, all of which has been replaced with some guidance from my mother, who has grown pretty close to Jules which really feels good. My parents actually took an instant liking to Jules, I think she is the sole reason my relationship with the General has even improved. Of course I wanted to surprise Jules with all of this, and I'm having a little anxiety hoping it won't be too much or too little, and she won't mind that I made decisions on the baby room without her. But I really wanted to erase the memory of our experience with Cindy Larson as much for her and our baby and also for myself.

"Sam BEST" Ed Lane just shouted out at me from the curb as he pulled up in my drive way with our soon to be retired Boss Greg Parker.

"Hey what's up guys?" I asked both of them suspicious as to why both of them seemed more jovial than usual. Since the Cindy Larson incident we or Team One I should say have been on a mandatory paid sabbatical as ordered by Commander Holleran and Dr. Toth. Apparently after the bombings four months ago and Jules attempted kidnapping along with all the organizational changes the SRU was going through we need time to clear our head.

Personally I was all for it, considering I preferred to be at the hospital watching Jules and being able to spoil my wife the last months of her pregnancy even for only a few weeks. But I have to admit we all tend to go a little stir crazy not being out there making a difference.

"So are you going to tell me why you're so cheery Ed?" I asked him as I eyed Greg Parker holding a cane I will never get used to seeing him in hoping he would offer me a clue as to what was going on.

"Let's just wait for Spike and Wordy to get here" Greg told me as I watched Spike and Wordy pull up with the U-Haul with the new baby furniture they picked up from the store for me.

"What's up guys?" I said giving Spike and Wordy a high five and now a little concerned about the extreme cheerfulness radiating out of them also.

"Ok I give up what?" I asked.

"Well SAMTASTIC its official" Greg started to say.

"You're officially the new team leader of Team 3 effective immediately. Congratulations" He finished as he offered me a hand shake and congrats along with the rest of the guys.

"Thank You" I answered somberly. Don't get me wrong I am excited for this opportunity but it just seemed wrong that Jules wasn't here to celebrate it with me.

"So umm when do you pick up Jules?" Wordy asked me.

"I pick her up around three this afternoon" I answered not hiding my excitement at all to have my wife back home and to also show her our new and kind of old home.

"Guess we better get this show on the road then" Spike added.

It was really good to see him happier after losing Lew and his dad. I look at him and Winnie and hope they can be as happy as me and Jules are.

While the guys proceeded to carry the baby furniture in the house I motioned Greg to the side and addressed some of my concerns about Jules. I know Jules sees him as a father figure and I was hoping if she wasn't comfortable enough to talk to me about what she was feeling that maybe Greg could get through to her.

"Some fatherly advice Sam" Greg started to tell me in his usual compassionate and composed fatherly voice. "Just give her some time. She'll be ok; it's been a traumatic time for all of us, especially her."

"I know Boss" I mumbled still not feeling any better. "I just want her to be all right".

"And she will be Sam" Greg reassured me. "She has you, and that's all she needs".

"Thanks" I responded.

About five hours later I headed to the hospital after taking a ten minute shower. Everything was all set up at the house. Since the team was still off, Sophie Ed's wife along with Wordy's wife Shelly with the help of Leah and Winnie also set up a surprise baby shower/welcome home party for Jules.

As I parked our new SUV in the parking structure at St Patrick's hospital I was overwhelmed by my own enthusiasm and the anticipation of seeing Jules reaction. Nothing is more beautiful than her smile, and the feeling I was feeling was almost similar to the day I proposed to her.

The only weird thing is as I continued to walk in the parking structure my police instincts seemed to be triggered. It was a strange feeling, like I was being watched but decided to dismiss it thinking I was probably just being paranoid after finding out I had no clue Cindy Larson was stalking me and my own wife the last year and half.

*******fp FP fp**********************************************

"Here is your photos lady" He told her as he handed several photos of Sam Braddock and Ed Lane to an older woman. "Now where is the cash?"

"Here it is" She answered showing him a brown bag containing five thousand dollars' worth of cash as she pulls out a small hand gun on him with a silencer as she shoots him in the head three times to make sure he was dead.

"Oops it turns out I won't be needing your services after all" She tells the bloodied dead man in the car she just shot as she nonchalantly exits the vehicle and innocently blends with the rest of the crowd in a more public part of the street.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Authors:Thanks for the reviews and support. This is a little short but didn't want to not update. Busy week. Hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: The show flashpoint and its characters were created by Mark Ellis and Stephanie Morgenstern and belong to them and its respective networks. I am making no money of this story and it is for entertainment purposes only. However, this particular story is my creation and should not be used without my express written permission

CHAPTER 2

**3 days earlier**

She admired all of her son's accomplishments and was deeply proud to hear the stories from all the people whose lives he touched tell their stories. The memorial service for her son Steve Harris was beautiful and it pretty much ended at that.

For some reason her mind fixated on the fact there wasn't a need for a casket, but then why would there be when there wasn't even anything left of Steve to bury. This was it, a service to honor the memory of her son. There would be no grave site to visit, no urn to take home. Hell, she didn't even have the option to choose if she wanted him cremated or not because all that remained of Steve Harris was reminisce of his DNA which allowed the Toronto coroner's office to confirm it was in fact Steve who was strapped to the bomb that detonated two weeks ago.

She hated the complexity of the emotions she was feeling. All she wanted was her son back. But at the same time she was livid and angry at him for leaving her and sacrificing his life for Jules Callaghan-Braddock, a woman in her opinion who even during their teenage years together never could truly appreciate the beautiful person her son was.

Now all she was left with were feelings of animosity and guilt for despising her deceased son for valuing his life less and loving Jules Callaghan-Braddock until the very end regardless is she didn't reciprocate the same feelings for him enough to sacrifice his life to save her and her unborn child.

To Jennifer Harris it was a small consolation to label her son a hero; it simply was not enough to provide her with any solace. Steve was dead and nothing would bring him back and every thought of what happened to him made her bitter as she continued to focus on the events leading to his death to the point she felt numb by them, as she sat outside one of the benches of the church after the memorial service had ended.

Today was also the day she had finally agreed to a meeting with the deceased Cindy Larson's mother, Brenda Larson who offered her condolences and gave her an alternative. She was too distraught to even smell the manipulation before it was too late to turn the clock back. All she wanted was justice for her son Steve who the SRU didn't bother saving.

_How could they make Jules and her baby's life worth more than her sons just because she was Sam's wife? Steve was just as much_ _a victim in all of this as Jules was?_ Jennifer Harris quietly thought feeling more and more infuriated over the situation.

Brenda Larson allowed her to relate to someone who finally understood her grief as a mother, leaving her vulnerable and an easy pawn. She wasn't exactly sure at what point Brenda convinced her of Cindy's innocence but somehow it happened and here they were both seeking revenge on Sam Braddock, Ed Lane and Jules Callaghan-Braddock.

After all how could she possibly feel nothing more than empathy for Brenda's loss over her mentally ill daughter after she was deceived by Brenda into believing the call to use lethal force on Cindy was done prematurely? Jennifer was convinced after hearing Brenda's story that had the SRU done things differently instead of making Jules safety the priority Steve may still be alive today. Even worse was the fact their sniper Ed Lane didn't even kill her instantly but had to fire twice at Cindy before finally claiming her life.

Either way, right or wrong Brenda gave her an outlet to unleash her anger even though as they plotted their revenge together some of the things went against her values as a human being. But none of that mattered anymore, she felt as if there was nothing else to live for now that her son was dead.

**************flashpoint flashpoint flashpoint. **********

I stared aimlessly at the clock knowing my husband Sam would be here soon. It felt bittersweet to know I was finally being released from the hospital today, although I secretly had some reservations about having to go home and be reminded of the nightmare I lived through two weeks ago. I haven't exactly discussed this with Sam yet, only because some part of me was still needed time to grasp my own feelings.

As I place my hand on my growing belly, I am reminded of everything I could have lost that day, like the precious life Sam and I created together who was growing inside me.

Eventually I know I will need to talk to Sam about everything that I am feeling, but I just can't right now when I can't even comprehend it myself.

I've stared at death more than once now, but nothing compares to how terrified I felt knowing someone plotted my murder to steal my child while I'm still pregnant with her in hopes it would reunite her with my husband. The very thought still send shivers up my spine and causes my heart to race each time.

Although Sam has tried to discuss with me, I shut down every time in fear of what the truth really was. I remember when he was attempting to negotiate with Cindy him apologizing to her for breaking their date. So was Cindy his ex? I know it doesn't matter, Sam is committed and 100% in love with me, this I know for sure. But I wasn't sure I wanted to know his past, at least not when it came to Cindy. I'm just not ready to hear the details because I'm scared.

But my troubles span beyond this. I also feel a tremendous amount of guilt and lose over Steve's death. Initially I was deeply saddened by the unnecessary loss of his life. It never really hit home until I finally got in contact with his mother to offer my deepest sympathy and gratitude for the sacrifice he made to save me and my baby.

I'm not sure what I was thinking when I called, but I wanted to call. It was the day of his memorial service, and it pained me I couldn't attend it with Sam and the rest of the team to honor his memory. So I called, how could I not? I've known his family for years. All I wanted was to let them know his life did not go in vain but all I was greeted with was hostility.

Maybe all the hormones is screwing with my senses as a police negotiator because I was taken back by a lot of the things Steve's mother said to me.

The worse part of everything she said is when she insinuated there would be a day I would be selfish enough to allow my husband and my baby to sacrifice their lives for me.

On some level I know her words come from pain and I know the person I am. Sam and this baby are my priority above anything else and I would risk anything and everything to protect them. But her words…they still managed to play on my own fears if I would be able to be the perfect wife, a great mother and still manage to maintain being a good cop.

"Hey Jules you ok?" Sam asked from behind me as I look at him trying to mask the pain but knowing he would see right through my façade. "What's wrong?"

And with that I finally open up to him as I melt into the comfort of his arms at the same time.

TBC


End file.
